Fiction A to Z September 2018 Recent Releases Our Homesick Songs by Emma Hooper What it is: a fable-like tale of a family -- and a community -- torn apart by their circumstances but struggling to remain together.    The setting: a desolate, dwindling fishing village in Newfoundland, Canada, where the Connors are one of the few families left.  Why you might like it: A quiet meditation on loss, sorrow, and hope, this moving tale offers moments of magical realism.   The Line That Held Us by David Joy What it is: a bleak Southern noir in which an accidental death sets in motion an inescapable cycle of violence. Featuring: two poachers, the loyal friend of one, and the savage but dedicated brother (with a dangerous sense of justice) of the other. For fans of: Michael Farris Smith's Desperation Road, or the desolate Appalachian settings of Ron Rash's novels.  The Shortest Way Home by Miriam Parker What it's about: In this engaging, character-driven debut, 30-year-old Hannah makes the impulsive decision to quit a promising career in finance in order to help out at a charming Sonoma winery.   Who it's for: Sweet and optimistic while addressing issues of self-discovery and growth, this is a great choice for fans of Jennifer Weiner.   Read this next: Lisa Owen's Not Working, or Kelly Harms' The Matchmakers of Minnow Bay.  Focus on: Graphic Novels Kill My Mother: A Graphic Novel by Jules Feiffer What it is: a noirish graphic novel set on the dark, menacing streets of Hollywood in the 1930s and '40s. Read it for: recognizably noir characters -- alcoholic PIs, femmes fatales, tough guys, resourceful widows; the twists and turns of the plot, which require close reading and an appreciation for Jules Feiffer's deft eye for the absurd. Black Hammer: Secret Origins by Jeff Lemire; illustrated by Dean Ormston and Dave Stewart What it is: an omnibus of the first six Black Hammer comics issues, sharing the stories of six former superheroes who've been trapped on a farm for a decade. Read it for: intriguing origin stories, a lot of world-building, and moody artwork fitting for the tale.  What to read next: Volume 2, obviously! It's called The Event -- and there's a new visitor to the farm...  The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage: The (Mostly) True Story... by Sydney Padua What it is: the (not really very true at all) story of the world's first computer, starring Ada Lovelace (who in real life died not long after writing the first paper on computer science) and Charles Babbage (who created, but never built, the first calculating machine). Together they fight crime and financial collapse using a steam-powered Analytical Engine. Why you might like it: dynamic drawings; plenty of wit and whimsy; tidbits of actual history.  Contact your librarian for more great books! Patchogue-Medford Library 54-60 East Main Street Patchogue, New York 11772 (631) 654-4700 www.pmlib.org/